On June 29, 1970, voters of Calhoun County created an area-wide college district. Kellogg Community College, with a newly elected Board of Trustees, began a new era of service to the area.
On Wednesday, July 8, 1970, members of the newly elected Kellogg Community College Board of Trustees accepted their oath of office. The swearing-in was held at the Calhoun Intermediate Education Center and the oath administered by Catherine Sharp, secretary for the Calhoun Intermediate School District. First board members included Mrs. Elizabeth Binda, Dr. D.S. Cannatti, Mr. Stanley Everett, Mr. Robert Gifford, Mr. Louis Perry, Mr. Michael Rae, and Mr. Edward Swan.
By 1970, the college student population grew to approximately 2000 day and 1100 evening students enrolled in 373 classes in 72 different curriculums.
A grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation allowed for the expansion of the Allied Health programs to include Dental Hygienist, Dental Assistant, Medical Laboratory Technician, Radiology Technician, Registered Nurse, and Practical Nurse.
At the first of the year, Dr. Richard F. Whitmore, Director since 1964, becomes the first President of Kellogg Community College. Jurisdiction of the College’s physical properties and assets were transferred from the Battle Creek Board of Education to the Kellogg Community College Board of Trustees.
The Harry R. Davidson Visual and Performing Arts Center is dedicated on April 25th. The Center was named for Harry R. Davidson, Superintendent of the Battle Creek Public Schools, in appreciation of his leadership in establishing the College and his guidance during its development. Construction on the Center started in July of 1969 and was completed in 1970, financed with a grant provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and state funds.
Fall 1972 enrollment figures topped 4,200, bolstered by 427 returning veterans taking advantage of a new increase in their G.I. Bill allowance.
Kellogg Community College received full accreditation from the North Central Association (NCA) with its new independent status.
Nov. 21 – Ted Nugent’s Amboy Dukes and the Whiz Kids rock Miller Gymnasium. Triad Co-Editor Steve Allen reported that the majority of the crowd to be “freaks, hippies, or the ‘hippified straights’.”
KCC Bruins won the first annual National Volleyball Junior College Championships (NJCAA) lead by Coach Mick Haley.
April – In April KCC received four awards from the American Association for Nurserymen for the landscape development of the campus.
May – On May 11, Kellogg Community College rededicated the newly enlarged library and renamed the building the Emory W. Morris Learning Resource Center (LRC). The building included the W.K. Kellogg’s Memorial Room, which featured W.K. Kellogg’s rolltop desk, diary, and the large copper cauldron in which the process was discovered that now gives us Corn Flakes. The LRC was dedicated to Dr. Emory William Morris, former president of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and great supporter of Kellogg Community College. Outside the library, a fountain sculpture was added to the reflecting pool, designed by William Collopy, Chair of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts. The College Life Committee replaced the elected student government.
The United States celebrated its Bicentennial. The Concert Lecture Series brought actor Howard Mann to campus to perform his one-man show as George Washington.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Lyle C. Roll Science/Health Technology Center was held Aug. 18, 1977. In attendance were Dr. Richard F. Whitmore, Dr. Russell Mawby, Lyle C. Roll, and Dr. Dominic Cannatti.
Sidney DeBoer, science instructor, retires from Kellogg Community College after 22 years of service. DeBoer was the first instructor to be hired by the College back in 1956.
The Benjamin Franklin Scholars’ Program begins in the fall.